in sort, he was stunned to learn the hospital's defense. how many people does the hospital say you lost that day? >> one. since they weren't born, they weren't people. they weren't -- they did not qualify as a person. >> reporter: that's right, catholic health initiatives has argued under colorado law, to be a person, one must, at some point have been born alive. a glaring contradiction to catholic church teachings, which says life begins at conception. catholic health initiatives would not speak to cnn on camera but said in a statement -- as a catholic organization, the hospital is supposed to follow the church's teachings laid out in the ethical and religious directives. no abortions, no contraceptives to direct sterilization, like vass sec else to and clearly state, catholic health care ministry witnesses to the sanctity of life from the moment of conception till death. while the moral debate continues, so does jeremy's legal battle. after he lost in the lower court, the defense lawyers for the doctors and the hospital owned by catholic